1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to collapsible gift containers, and in particular to gift containers having a folding bottom closure including interlocking bottom panels such that the container can be manipulated between a flat folded configuration and a formed configuration which unfolds into an open top container for holding products to be presenting as gifts or for displaying products. In one embodiment of the invention, a detachable note card is provided in the front wall of the container.
2. Prior Art
Traditionally, gift containers, such as gift baskets, are comprised of various retail items placed inside a straw basket or plastic container which, in turn, is placed inside a clear plastic bag or wrap. Such containers are heavy and cumbersome and can be too awkward to carry and difficult to transport. They are not customizable since retailers generally select a particular container to coordinate with or match a product or products. Thus, the consumer has no control over the appearance of gift containers or the coordination of a container for carrying and display selected gift products. In addition, prior art gift baskets are not collapsible and items such as a gift card, ribbon or bow typically needed to round out a pleasing gift presentation must be purchased separately.
Typical prior art gift baskets 2 use a bottom closure 4 that consists of four intersecting panels 6 which when folded together form an auto-lock type of closure 8 as shown in FIGS. 1-2D. While this type of auto-lock closure provides an effective container bottom and permits the container to be folded between a folded flat configuration and a formed container configuration, the amount of weight which the closure can hold is limited. If too much weight is placed in the container, especially in the center of the bottom, the closure will be overtaxed causing the intersecting panels to be pushed downward and break apart the closure. Thus, a stronger bottom closure for gift containers is needed.